approaches: social learning theory

Question 1

what is the social learning theory?

Answer 1

a way of explaining behaviour that bridges the behaviourist approach with the cognitive approach as it recognises the influence of cognitive factors on learning.

Question 2

what are the defining features of the social learning theory?

Answer 2

• proposed by Albert Bandura
• there are important mental processes that mediate between stimulus and response
• human behaviour is learnt through observation and imitation of others within a social context
• SLT claims that learning occurs through classical and operant conditioning principles, but also indirectly through the role of vicarious reinforcement

Question 3

what is modelling?

Answer 3

• imitating the behaviour of a role model
• live models include parents, friends and family
• symbolic models include characters from movies and books

Question 4

what is imitation?

Answer 4

The action of using someone or something as a model and copying their behaviour.

Question 5

what are the determinants of whether a behaviour is imitated?

Answer 5

-the characteristics of the model
-the observer’s perceived ability to perform that behaviour
-the observed consequences of the behaviour

Question 6

what is identification?

Answer 6

• when an observer associates themselves with a role model and wants to be like the role model
• similar characteristics such as gender/age determine this

Question 7

what are the mediational processes?

Answer 7

ATTENTION: individual notices someone in their environment
RETENTION: the individual remembers what they have observed (memory)
MOTOR REPRODUCTION: individual replicates behaviour shown by the role model
MOTIVATION: the will to perform the behaviour, which is often determined by whether the behaviour was rewarded or punished

Question 8

what is vicarious reinforcement?

Answer 8

reinforcement which is not directly observable but occurs through observing someone being reinforced for a behaviour. This is a key factor in imitation

Question 9

what differentiates traditional behaviourism with the SLT?

Answer 9

• the learning and performance of behaviour need not occur together
• these mediational processes explain why individuals do not automatically mimic every behaviour they observe
• if ant of the 4 meditational processes are missing, then behaviour wont be imitated

Question 10

procedure of Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiment?

Answer 10

• the participants, children aged 3-6, were divided into two groups.
• the first group observed an adult demonstrating physical and verbal aggression towards a Bobo doll in a room filled with toys.
• an experimenter observed and recorded the children’s physical and verbal aggression from behind a one-way mirror

Question 11

findings of Bandura’s Bobo Doll experiment?

Answer 11

• the findings revealed that children exposed to an aggressive model were more likely to be aggressive themselves
• the results highlighted the role of identification, particularly among boys, who were more likely to mimic behaviour after observing a male model compared to those who saw a female model

Question 12

1963 variation of the Bobo Doll experiment:

Answer 12

• symbolic models: children exposed to a live aggressive adult, a recording of an aggressive adult, or a cartoon featuring an aggressive cat.
• all aggression was directed towards a Bobo doll
• the findings indicated comparable levels of aggression across all groups, illustrating that models, whether live or symbolic are imitated.

Question 13

1965 variation of the Bobo Doll experiment:

Answer 13

• vicarious reinforcement: children witnessed adults acting aggressively towards a Bobo doll, followed by an adult receiving rewards, punishment or neither
• the findings indicated that children who observed the adult being punished displayed significantly less aggression towards the Bobo doll compared to children in the other conditions.

Question 14

evaluations of the SLT: explains cultural differences in behaviour

Answer 14

• accounts for how children learn from other individuals around them, as well as through the media
• explains how cultural roles are transmitted through particular societies
• gender plays a role in shaping behaviour (identifying more with someone who possesses similar characteristics)
• useful in understanding a range of behaviours, such as how children come to understand their gender role

Question 15

evaluations of the SLT: over-reliance on evidence from lab studies

Answer 15

• lab studies are often criticised for their contrived nature where participants may respond to demand characteristics
• Bandura’s research only demonstrated short-term social learning; aggression may not be imitated weeks or months after observation
• ecological validity can be questioned, as the aggression observed in a controlled lab setting may not directly translate to real-world scenarios
• raise doubts about the applicability of SLT processes to everyday life

Question 16

evaluations of the SLT: importance of cognitive factors on learning

Answer 16

• neither classical nor operant conditioning can offer an adequate account of learning on their own
• humans + many animals store info about the behaviour of others and use this to make judgements about when it is appropriate to perform certain actions
• SLT acknowledges the roles of consciousness + rationality, providing a more believable explanation for complex behaviours like aggression
• behaviourism’s focus on simplistic stimulus-response mechanisms may only be appropriate in explaining the learning of basic behaviours